A weeks-old baby girl who was left to die in a trash bag is now safe, thanks to a hero stray dog.
The shocking incident happened in Tripoli, Lebanon. According to local news source Arab News, a stray dog was seen carrying a black garbage bag in his mouth.
Bystanders could hear the sound of a baby crying, and realized with horror that an infant girl — reported to be just hours old — was inside the bag.
The baby was taken to the hospital and was in “serious but stable” condition, with bruises all over her body. Authorities are investigating the case, but it is not yet clear who abandoned the baby.
But it has been speculated that a parent left their unwanted baby to die, and may have even intentionally left them in a non-residential area with many stray dogs hoping the dogs would eat her. Instead, one stray carried her to safety.
“In any case, the dog that dragged her was more humane in the face of the brutality and criminality of whoever threw her no matter what,” wrote Tripoli journalist Ghassan Rifi (translated from Arabic).
“Usually, when someone wants to give up their kids, they place them in front of an orphanage or a police station. However, this baby was dumped in an area that is considered very dangerous at night, as a lot of stray dogs can be found,” Rifi told Arab News, saying this was the most disturbing case of his career.
“The municipality had previously tried to poison these dogs but animal welfare organizations refused and called for their protection,” he added.
The baby will reportedly be placed in an orphanage when she recovers if no one offers to adopt her, but according to the New York Post many people online have expressed interest in adopting.
It’s not clear what happened to the stray dog, and it does not sound like he was rescued, but it’s clear he saved this baby’s life.
It’s truly shocking and heartbreaking that anyone would leave their baby to die like this, but we’re glad this newborn is safe thanks to this stray dog!
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